One of the most intriguing and enigmatic hard-rock bands of the 1990s and early 2000s, Clutch won over an intensely devoted fan base with its energetic combination of Black Sabbath-approved monster riffs, Butthole Surfers-esque genre-mixing, and lyrics that fuse Led Zeppelin's medieval mysticism with Faith No More's modern surrealism. With BLAST TYRANT, the group offers up a typically unpredictable sonic onslaught that benefits from punchy, in-your-face production values, recalling the best work of acts such as Stone Temple Pilots and Audioslave. While less concerned with pop hooks than those two bands, Clutch has always been one of the most melody-oriented groups of its genre. Here the Maryland-based ensemble matches harmony-laden vocals with a Pantera-worthy dose of power metal, and does it with a conviction that few contemporaries can match.